Friday, June 14, 2019

CW Fletcher, a precision engineering firm based in Rotherham, has signed a record £160m long term contract with Rolls-Royce. A deal which means it can expand its Wales Bar facility.

The business supplies a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, nuclear and space exploration. Its "Sterling Works" is part of a 9.5-acre combined site located at Wales Bar in Rotherham where high-strength, lightweight assemblies in ordinary and exotic metallic materials are fabricated and high value-added components are machined.

The deal, the most valuable secured by the company in its 126-year history, will see them supply aircraft engine fabrications for the next ten years.

Steve Kirk, managing director at CW Fletcher, said: "This is hugely significant for every one of us at CW Fletcher and represents many months of work at both companies. The contract forms a key part of our growth strategy which will also see the start of our new facility in Sheffield to add a further 2,000 square metres of manufacturing space and secure the future of our 200 strong workforce. We are confident that the future is bright for advanced manufacturing here in Sheffield."

Ian Oliver, strategic buyer at Rolls-Royce, added: "Rolls-Royce is pleased to secure this deal with CW Fletcher, which builds on the previous 70 years plus relationship. CW Fletcher is an important supplier to Rolls-Royce and the deal helps secure the long-term relationship between the companies."

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CW Fletcher has a strategy for sustained growth based on being one of the first companies selected for the UK's flagship Sharing in Growth competitiveness improvement programme. The company has participated in the bespoke and intense training and business transformation programme which focuses on leadership, culture and operational capability.

Rothbiz reported in 2016 that participation in Sharing in Growth helped CW Fletcher sign a £7m, three year export deal with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) of Japan for the supply of unison ring components which were ultimately fitted into Rolls-Royce aero engines.

The firm's links to Rolls-Royce stretch back to the manufacture of components in the iconic Merlin engine, developed for the Spitfire and Lancaster aircraft.

Set up by industry in 2012, Sharing in Growth is endorsed by Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Bombardier, GE, GKN, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, Safran and Thales because it is helping the UK advanced manufacturing supply chain to become more competitive and win a larger share of global aerospace contracts, typically by addressing a 20% cost gap and targeting 50% productivity improvement.

Andy Page, CEO of Sharing in Growth, said: "We are thrilled with CW Fletcher's well-deserved success. It is testament to the effectiveness of Sharing in Growth and we'd encourage other ambitious companies to follow CW Fletcher onto our programme. As an industry-led programme our aim is to deliver sustainable business growth in the advanced manufacturing sector based on investing in people and processes to drive up productivity and competitiveness."

CW Fletcher are experts in providing machined fabrications, in a range of materials, up to two metres in diameter. Their modern facility contains 5 axis milling, CNC turning, heat-treatment, pressing, sheet-metal work, non-destructive testing and a range of welding techniques.

CW Fletcher moved to its current site in 1999 but due to a recession in the airline business in the early 2000s, two additional buildings were never erected. Plans have been amended to allow for the third planned building to be removed and replaced by a lower rise second building.

Richard J Phillips, business development manager at CW Fletcher, said: "We have been gradually building our reputation across these market sectors to the point where our customers are now saying that we are the go-to company for machined fabrications in the UK. This makes us proud and is praise that we do not take lightly. These are exciting times for CW Fletcher."